Amazing Journey: Roger Daltrey Releases "The Who's Tommy Orchestral" Live Album

Amazing Journey: Roger Daltrey Releases “The Who’s Tommy Orchestral” Live Album

Fifty years ago, The Who debuted Tommy at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London. The ambitious rock opera about a deaf, dumb, and blind pinball wizard turned messiah catapulted The Who into the upper echelons of arena rock and marked a new transition in their storied career. Last year, Who frontman Roger Daltrey embarked on a world tour performing The Who’s Tommy with an orchestra. With David Campbell providing the arrangements and Keith Levenson conducting, the piece took on a new life in a new context. Now, Roger Daltrey and Polydor have released a live album from the tour out today, June 14, entitled The Who’s Tommy Orchestral. It was recorded last summer on stops in Budapest and Bethel Woods. Its 24 tracks represent the bulk of the tracks from the original studio album (though there’s no “Underture” to be found) but presents them in slightly different sequence.

In addition to the orchestra, the album features members who have played live with The Who in recent years, including Simon Townshend (vocals and guitar), Frank Simes (guitar), Scott Devours (drums), Jon Button (bass), and Loren Gold (keys). Together, they present a reimagining of the classic album.

The Who’s Tommy Orchestral is available in a variety of configurations: there’s the standard CD edition, a 2-LP black vinyl version, and a 2-LP color vinyl featuring orange and blue wax, exclusive to Roger Daltrey’s online shop. Below, you can check out the new single from the album, “Pinball Wizard”!

Roger Daltrey, The Who’s Tommy Orchestral (Polydor, 2019)

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2-LP black vinyl: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2-LP color vinyl: Roger Daltrey’s Online Shop

Overture
It’s A Boy
1921
Amazing Journey
Sparks
Eyesight To The Blind
Christmas
Cousin Kevin
The Acid Queen
Do You Think It’s Alright?
Fiddle About
Pinball Wizard
There’s A Doctor
Go To The Mirror!
Tommy, Can You Hear Me?
Smash The Mirror
Refrain – It’s A Boy
I’m Free
Miracle Cure
Sensation
Sally Simpson
Welcome
Tommy’s Holiday Camp
We’re Not Gonna Take It

Sam Stone

Sam Stone has been obsessed with catalog music ever since his folks gave him a Contours best-of collection for his fourth birthday. He quickly began to learn all he could about rock and roll history and beyond, a passion that continues to this day.

Sam followed his love for music to the classroom, earning a B.A. from Towson University in Electronic Media and Film, concentrating on radio and audio production, as well as an M.A. in Audio Arts from Syracuse University. He has put his knowledge and skills to work at prominent reissue labels and is excited to bring his perspectives on catalog music to a broader audience. When he’s not writing for The Second Disc, Sam can be found researching about music, talking about Joni Mitchell’s career, and adding another box set to his Amazon wish list.